End of an era as Messi prepares to hang up Argentina boots

BUENOS AIRES: Lionel Messi will bid farewell to Argentina's iconic sky blue-and-white jersey for the final time on Tuesday, captivating his passionate fans in a monumental stadium named after his legendary legacy - Monumental. An estimated 85,000 Argentine fans will attend the friendly match against Benin, while millions more will follow the action on TV screens across South America.

The most-capped player in Argentine history is hanging up his boots after a 21-year international career, two-and-a-half months after Argentina's World Cup final defeat to Spain. Messi announced his retirement in August, writing, "I gave it my all; I have nothing left to give, and besides, there are great young players coming up who deserve their chance."

In his last training session with the team at his namesake complex in Buenos Aires' Ezeiza suburb, Messi's teammates, including defender Cristian Cuti Romero, midfielders Alexis Mac Allister and Enzo Fernandez, and forwards Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez, are set to play in the farewell game. Romero will take on the captain's armband post-Messi.

Coach Lionel Scaloni aims to fill the void left by his revered captain, with Argentina's promising new talent showing promise in recent matches. In their World Cup final aftermath games, Argentina thrashed Bolivia 4-0 and dominated Burkina Faso 7-0, scoring two of their goals.

Messi, Argentina's leading scorer with 125 goals in 207 appearances and a record 68 assists, won his nation's gratitude in 2022 by leading them to their World Cup triumph in Qatar. He also helped Argentina claim the 2005 World Youth Championship, 2008 under-23 Olympic gold, and the Copa America in 2021 and 2024. However, the future of Messi's iconic number 10 jersey remains uncertain, with coach Lionel Scaloni stating, "Until Leo's game, we won't give the number 10 to anyone. After that, we'll see."